Rachid Ghezzal signs for LCFC

Happy to see what he can do, but I'm concerned about people suggesting he has potential an isn't the finished article. He's 26; aside from settling into the league, what he is now is what he will ever be. I'm also a little worried that he looks like a panic buy. But that could be unfair.

Still, we were looking a bit short in that position so let's hope this pays off.

comment by Foxello (U6985)
posted 2 hours, 16 minutes ago
You don't play for two of France's premier teams if you are a bad player. Just because it didn't work out for him at Monaco doesn't mean he's a bad player.

It's all about perception. If Pearson had signed this guy, many of the people who are trashing the signing would be saying things like "clearly got talent", "just needs a decent manager", "trust the recruitment team", etc. But, alas, he's a Puel signing, and because a sizeable portion of the fanbase have decided that Puel is a bad manager, that means this guy must be a bad signing.

Personally, for £10m, I'm happy to give this guy a chance. If it makes people feel better, we sold Musa, who never did anything for us, for £14m, we've signed someone who may or may not be good, and still have £4m in the bank for good measure. Seems like a decent deal to me.
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It’s nothing to do with Puel. I wasn’t even thinking of Puel when we were linked. We have a head of recruitment and a large scouting network that identify our targets. If Walsh had identified him then I would feel far more comfortable because of his track record. Now he’s gone, our ‘hit rate’ has fallen dramatically.

I think the point is that this guy hasn’t played consistently for two of Frances top sides. Well certainly not Monaco anyway. He couldn’t get in the team. Lyon released him at the end of his contract which isn’t particularly encouraging either

Slimani wasn’t a Puel signing but was poor. Musa wasn’t a Puel signing but was terrible. Hernandez - terrible, Zieler - rubbish signing, Ian- showing promise but hardly worth £25m. Nothing to do with Puel

Nuneaton,

I was trying to be positive and not judge a player I’ve never seen play.

Another winger doesn’t seem unnecessary simply because Gray and FD have still much to prove, but if he’s not an improvement then it’s a waste of a signing.

Foxello,

This isn’t a Pearson v Puel thing. For me it’s not even a manager thing, but indicative of the recruitment policy of the club. We’ve been in the PL now a few years and we might be expecting the signings to be a bit more ambitious than when Pearson and Walsh were building teams to get out of the Championship.

We were linked with Thorgan Hazard and have got Rachid Ghezzal. I hope it works out, but it doesn’t yell out at people as a signing of a mid table club that is pushing to make the next step up.

Jobyfox

You say that signing Rachid Ghezzal isn't a step up to where the owners want the club to go, or, as you say ................."doesn't yell out at people..............."

But can't that be also said, even more so of the signing of Jonny Evans? Decent player, great price, but 30 years old, playing centre-back. He's probably had his peak also?
I will back Evans if he does the biz but i'm not expecting him to pull up any trees for us. I thought we would buy a better centre-half, with all due respect to Jonny Evans.

Ghezzal is 26 and people are concerned that he hasn't done anything yet to shout about. So what. 26 is nothing for a winger.

Let's not forget Jamie Vardy came into the professional game very late in his career. Look how that turned out for us, but more so for him.
Vardy had a dodgy time here at one point and was on the verge of quitting. Pearson and Co gave him the belief that made him the player he has become.

I reckon this Rachid Ghezzal, given time and reassurance will come good, so long as Puel or any other manager plays to his strengths.
He's potentially another Mahrez - but not just yet. If he settles well, then i think we may have got a very, very good future player.

If we get the defence sorted sharpish, we could have a pretty decent side again.

I wasn't happy toward the end of last season with how we played by dropping off the pace big time. I was unsure as to whether Puel should go. But apart from the defensive issues, he has signed attacking players which, to me, is great. Could be a slow start with a tonking or two. As long as the players shape up fast if that were to happen.

Come on Leicester City.

PlayThePitch - Unfortunately you've just gone some way to convincing me that this signing may not be a good idea...

I'm not the most enthusiastic about Evans, but he does seem like a solid signing, he's come very cheap and - significantly - he has played relatively successfully in this league for many years.

26 is something for a winger. He is older than Mahrez was when he joined and has played at top French clubs for years - and hasn't properly made an impression at either of them.

Vardy did indeed come into the professional game late, and he's noted as a great exception to the rule. Besides, Ghezzal isn't coming into the professional game late; he's been in Ligue 1.

Even what you say to support him is "given time and reassurance", "not just yet", "if he settles well"; this all sounds very Ahmed Musa.

If these are the strong arguments in his favour, they're not very inspiring.

Welcome to the Kingpower Rachid

Hope you turn out to be great signing
If you do I'll order the egg scrapers now
Claude obviously knows something about you and knows what you can give to the team.
Has your international teammate Riyad sold Leicester to you.

Wouldn't it be funny if he took the Mancs apart on Friday.


In Claude we trust


UTF
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Whether or not he is a good "buy" only time will tell but let's not be too downbeat before he's even set foot on the pitch! I echo "still legless"
Welcome to the Kingpower Rachid

Dunge

The comments i made - arguments in his favour as you call them. Can't this be said of any signing, especially a foreign signing?
You have to give every player a chance for a while, surely?
Even you gave Andy King an elongated stay in the 1st team when, really, he should have been a sub at best these last 2 seasons. Good servant though Kingy - you have to give him that.

I just think Rachid Ghezzal looks like he has something in his locker from the footage i've saw.

Ok, i haven't seen him play live. I haven't seen live footage either. And i haven't seen up to date football highlights either - just Youtube vids.

Not all our ( or anyone elses scouting) is initially live first. Some is recommendation. Some is contacts. Some is by way of going to watch a player but another catches the eye. And lots, believe me, are by looking at video footage first, then arranging to be there live to see the player on a few occasions.

Basically, what i see, from a football fans point of view is a player with good potential. It's my view. It might be right, it might be sh!te. But to me, he has something, be it 26 or 20 yrs of age.
All signings are a gamble. Look at Slimani here. Never looked the part really. In a side that plays to his strengths (crosses, etc) he could be prolific. Not going to happen here i'm afraid.
I felt similar about Andrej Kramaric. It didn't work here, but for Hoffenheim he is doing well. Musa another one. Somewhere in him is a decent player.

I can't see 26yrs of age is a no-go for a player.
I hope he becomes a star - here or elsewhere (Ghezzal). He deffo has something. But the beauty of this forum and fans in general, is that we all have our own opinions, and rightly so.
I respect everyone's choice - don't have to agree with it, might even mock it, but it's good to see the diff opinions.

No harm done.

Can the comments be said of any signing? To an extent. Of course each signing represents a risk. Maybe he'll be a great signing. Particularly with young players and unknown quantities. Maddison, for instance, is looking to make the step up a division, and you can never be entirely sure how that will go. He was, however, very highly rated in his previous league, will only really get better and looks a very good gamble.

But 26 and having represented two Ligue 1 clubs over the course of multiple seasons isn't an unknown quantity. That age for that player surely means we want the finished product? I don't have an issue buying 26-year-olds but in this situation it doesn't make sense to buy him for potential. He would have reached it by now.

It's hardly like I'm going to start booing the lad when his number pops up in the stadium; of course I hope he shows his worth and is excellent for us. I just have doubts that this is a particularly good signing (it shouts out Panic Buy somewhat) from the details that we know.

Still disagree about the age thing.

Why would he or should he have reached his peak by now? That really is naive.
Ok, he may have reached his peak in Ligue 1? That doesn't mean to say he will bomb in the Prem. And it doesn't mean to say that he will take the Prem by storm either.

I go back to Andy King if we use the age thing. You called for him to be a big part of our midfield for the best part of 5 years or so. You rate(d) Kingy. Fair play.
I thought he was just a steady player, but one who needed a push to progress. He seemed to plateau to me.

But it's good debate on players. Not knocking you on your choices, just this 26 peak thing.
I go back to Vardy on that one.
Has Jamie Vardy hit his peak at 31 or whatever age he is? Probably, but i wouldn't be so sure. I reckon Vardy has at least 1 more explosive season left in him for sure.

I back all the players that turn out for our club. But if 1 or 2 don't/can't perform then i'll say so.

To be 100% honest, toward the end of the season i thought Puel should have gone. I've gotta say now that i'm kinda glad that he has been given time looking at the players brought in so far. They are direct players. Players who want to press. This is our game i think? Get at 'em - go for it. Good to watch in whatever the capacity. I'm optimistic once we get over the first 3 or 4 games because it could be tough going early doors?